Marie Boivin

Marie-Anne Victoire Gillain Boivin (9 April 1773 – 16 May 1841) was a French midwife, inventor, and obstetrics writer.

[3] Boivin invented a new pelvimeter and a vaginal speculum, and the medical textbooks that she wrote were translated to different languages and used for 150 years.

[4] She was educated by nursing nuns at a nunnery in Étampes,[1][5] where her talents attracted the attention of Madame Élisabeth, sister of King Louis XVI.

[5] When her husband died, she returned to Paris to assist Mme Lachapelle at La Maternite.

[1] Mme Boivin invented a new pelvimeter, and a vaginal speculum which was used to dilate the vagina and the examination of the cervix.

It included notes she had taken from Marie-Louise Lachapelle's teaching, and the book was used as a handbook for medical students and midwives.

[4] - Memorial de l'Art des Accouchmens (handbook for medical student and midwives), 1812[5] - Nouveau traité des hémorragies de l'utérus (bleeding from the uterus), 1818[5] - Mémorial de l'art des accouchemens (handbook for medical students, third edition), 1824[3] - Recherches sur une des causes les plus frequentes et la moins connue de l'avortement (the Most Frequent and Least Known Causes of Abortion), 1828[7] - Observations et reflexions sur les cas d'absorption de placenta (the case of absorption of the placenta), 1829[7] - Traité des Maladies de l'utérus et des annexes (Diseases of the uterus), 1833[3] - Prussia Golden Medal of Civil Merit, 1814[3][4] - Honorary MD degree of the University of Marburg in Germany, 1827[4] - Commendation from the Royal Society of Medical in Bordeaux[3] - Member of several medical societies[3][7] - A nursery named after Mme Boivin at her home town, Versailles[7]